inhabitants. The figure stands, or rather reclines on its back, for it is on a steep declivity, with arms extended upwards, and a long staff in each hand parallel to the body. The outline is so slightly indented in the turf that to a close inspection it is imperceptible; but when viewed from a distance with a strong side-light, i. e., either in the morning or evening, it may be plainly seen; and yet, even then, an unpractised eye will have some difficulty in tracing out the figure, of which the lower parts are at all times extremely indistinct. The thawing of a slight snow brings it out into the boldest relief.

Though it is unconnected with the priory, I may perhaps be allowed to mention that a piece of land still called the 'Endlenewicke," and showing vestiges of a ruined mansion, once gave name to a family of some note in this place, whose memory has long passed away. "Philip de Endlenewike " gave evidence before the royal commissioners for ascertaining the value of the 9ths and 15ths in this parish in the year 1346.

It appears that in the grant made June 25th, 1372, by Edw. III, to his son John of Gaunt,78 king of Castile and duke of Lancaster, of the castle and leucate of Pevensey, with the advowson of Wilmington, and other things, was included "the bailiwick of Endlenewyk, with its appurtenances." 79 Certain dues are still annually collected and paid to the owner of the above-mentioned piece of land (which forms part of what is now called Moor's Hill farm), under the name of "Endlenewick Rents," from twenty-four manors and farms once included in this ancient bailiwick. They are situated in the parishes of E. Bourn, W. Dean, Ripe, Selmeston, Folkington, Hartfield, E. Dean, Blatchington, Alfriston, W. Firle, Seaford, Hellingly, Arlington, Chalvington, and Tarring; the sums paid vary from about 28. to £7, and the whole amount is about £30.

This church possesses a register, commencing with the year 1538. The book itself is not original to this date, but was made in the fortieth year of Elizabeth (1598), by Malin Morton, then vicar, who says that he transcribed the previous entries "from the ould paper book" into that of parchment, which now exists. It contains an uninterrupted record, with the exception of a few years more or less defective, but has

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nothing likely to be of public interest. One entry however is striking "1647, a robber buried, May 25;" killed, we may suppose, in the commission of his crime-a hint of the disorders of that most disorderly time. At the end is a list of all the parishioners (63 in number) who took the " "protestation made and taken by both houses of parliament," on the 10th July, 1641.

From various evidences, chiefly this ancient Parish Register, it appears that the following have been vicars of Wilmington.

Geoffry de Caz, presented by King John (see p. 54)

A. D. 25th Feb. 1209

[Matthew Sanson, mentioned p. 48, as "Rector Ecclesie de Wylmentone," was Prebendary (p. 46), and therefore Prior (p. 49) about] S

Henry Marshall

Bawdwin Hamnett

Master Hillman

Master Actonn

Malin Morton

1285

was Vicar in 1541 buried 8th Feb. 1565

was Vicar in 1586 in 1589 (inducted 4th May 1597 buried 1st April 1616 buried 17th Jan. 1621 inducted in 1621

inducted 30th Sept. 1644

was Vicar in 1665

William Edwards (afterwards Rector of Denton and W. Dean) in 1673 Jonathan Darby (also Vicar of East Dean)

Samuel Isaack

in 1698

in 1738

Henry Hodsden (afterwards V. of Willingdon & W. Ham) died 20th Mar. 1740 Edward Lord (who built the Vicarage-house)

John Hubbersty

James Capper

George Miles Cooper, present Vicar

until 1764 buried in 1779

buried in 1835

instituted 15th April 1835

Here I would conclude, were it not that I must crave permission to add a brief notice of one of the greatest antiquities of the place,-its noble Yew-tree, the ornament of this church and village. Its age cannot be less than that of the ecclesiastical fabrics of which it is the appropriate companion. An old man of 85 once told me that he had known it for 75 years, and in his earliest recollection its appearance did not differ materially from that which it now presents. Here we have three-quarters of a century scarcely effecting a visible change, and a gauge wherewith to measure roughly its

great age. Its gnarled and magnificent double stem is really a study for the painter. At 3 ft. 3 in. above the ground, where the stem divides, as is common with this kind of tree, its girth is 20 feet. One half of the trunk has become hollow. To the first large branch is 10 feet, the length of the largest branch is 33 feet, and the ground which the tree coverschiefly on the east side, for on the west it has been stunted and driven back by the violence of our prevailing winds-is about 250 square yards, or a circuit of 168 feet.

In former ages it has been sadly and wantonly maimed. Whoever wanted a piece of yew wood, or wished to gratify a destructive caprice, seems to have applied the saw and the knife without mercy. It is now more carefully guarded; and I sincerely hope it may yet be spared to shelter from winter rains and summer suns many more generations of honest peasants, when assembled for attendance at our venerable house of prayer.

THE FIRST AND LAST DAYS OF THE SAXON

RULE IN SUSSEX.

BY THE REV. C. BOHUN SMYTH.

READ AT HERSTMONCEUX, JULY 25, 1850.

It is easy to imagine that the Saxon and Danish buccaneers might be, and undoubtedly were, originally but few in numbers, that the ferocity of their manners, their intrepidity, and the suddenness of their apparition, would inspire dismay among the defenceless countries they ravaged. The fear these atrocities occasioned very naturally augmented their numbers in the eyes of their victims, and a panic, once created, never ceased to exaggerate the real danger. Although the Danes were the most locomotive people in antient Europe, their conquests contained no ideal aim preconceived by their authors, as always happens amongst barbarians, whose motions, like those of infants and animals, are destitute of true finality.

King Alfred thus describes the German settlers in Britain :

Komon hi of Spim folcum dam strangestan Lermanie, dæt of Seaxum, J of Angle 7 of Leatum.."-"They were descended from the three most powerful nations of Germany, from the Saxons, Angles and Jutes." When the Angles and Saxons settled in England, they availed themselves of the Roman walls and edifices left by the Italian architects. Their conversion to Christianity taught them the use of sumptuous buildings, which have been erroneously attributed to the hands of Saxon masons. Romans and Britons had once occupied these fortresses and towns in peace and harmony. The Roman language had extensively prevailed. Many words had crept into the British language from the admixture of the legions of Rome with native Britons. The Anglo-Saxons received the substance of their more refined education in Latin authors,

and many works of the Saxon period were composed in that universal tongue, the knowledge of which ultimately facilitated the introduction of the Normano-Frankish dialect into this country, which long retained its ascendency in the courts of justice. The Latin language was not suppressed when Christianity was for a term expelled from this land.

Turner, Palgrave, Lingard, Kemble, and other writers, have poured floods of light on the heptarchy and monarchy of Saxon England. But it cannot be denied that Lappenberg and German historians of our Anglo-Saxon period have added further light from their inspection of Norwegian, Swedish, and Danish records relating to the Sweynes, Gorms, Olaves, Canutes and Harolds. The German critical scholar has suggested the word Octarchy instead of Heptarchy, as more appropriate to the actual number of the antient Saxon states, before they merged into one general sole monarchy, in those days of the warriors of the "breast-net" or the shirt of mail, of glittering mitred abbots, of filleted and pearl-bedecked dames, of minstrels and harpers.

Suð-rex was deeply affected, both at the commencement and conclusion of the ascendency of the sons of Odin, or Woden, the deified monarch of the Teutons, who was himself of the race of the Sacai, or Scythians; and the Saxons are supposed by some to be indebted for their name not to the Saxon word seax," or dagger, but to the Sakai, as the runa Sakai, who worshipped the Gothic Wods. To this day the Teutonic deity sounds in our Wednesday, and in the Wansdike in Wiltshire, and in Wansbury. At the two extreme points of Hastings in East Sussex, and of Chichester in the West, the most signal memorabilia of the Saxon annals occurred. The fate of Anderida, in the Andɲedes-peald, in the weald of Sussex, inspires us with horror. This woody district abounded in deer and wild boars. We read of the utter destruction of this fortress and the British defenders in the old' Saxon Chronicle,' under the year 490; as follows: "Den Elle 7 Lira ymbræton Andreder-cester. I ofrlogon ealle pa pe pæn inne eardedan. ne pearð þær forðon an Brit to lafe." (Saxon Chronicle.)—“ This year A.D. 490. Ælla and Cissa besieged Andreds-chester, and put all its inhabitants to the sword. Not a single Briton escaped alive." Such contests, in that age of disorder, were

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